Providing location based services for mobile devices

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided that allow the delivery of location based services within a communication network. The location information can be retrieved using information from the mobile node when the mobile node registers in the network. The location information can then be cached or stored in one or more places in the communication network and correlated with the mobile node's addressing information. If a request for location based services is received without location based information, the gateway can use location based information regarding the mobile node to provide location based services. The gateway can enable non IMS mobile nodes to obtain IMS location based services or incompatible mobile nodes to obtain location based services.

1. An access gateway in communication with a plurality of access networks including a wireless access network, the access gateway comprising:
 a local cache residing in the access gateway; and 
 a call session control function (CSCF) residing in the access gateway and in communication with the local cache; 
 wherein the access gateway serves as an access point to a multimedia domain (MMD) system in a network; 
 wherein the plurality of access networks further includes at least one of a wireless local area network (WLAN) and a femtocell network; and 
 wherein the CSCF is configured to:
 receive from a mobile node a registration request including registration information; 
 generate location information of the mobile node using at least a part of the registration information and an Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to the mobile node, wherein the location information includes a physical location of the mobile node and the IP address is assigned to the mobile node by the access gateway; 
 store the generated location information in an entry in the local cache created for the mobile node when the mobile node was registered; 
 receive a location-based service request including identifying information from the mobile node, wherein the identifying information includes an identifier of the mobile node; 
 if the location-based service request does not include current location information of the mobile node,
 retrieve the generated location information of the mobile node from the local cache using the identifier of the mobile node included in the identifying information; and 
 use the generated location information to obtain location-based services on behalf of the mobile node. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The gateway of  claim 1 , wherein the CSCF is further configured to send the location information to an external database for storage. 
     
     
       3. The gateway of  claim 1 , wherein the CSCF is further configured to route the location-based services request to an application server. 
     
     
       4. The gateway of  claim 3 , wherein the application server resides within a same visited network where the gateway resides. 
     
     
       5. The gateway of  claim 1 , wherein the location based services include providing information related to at least one nearest service. 
     
     
       6. The gateway of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile node includes a mobile node that is not capable of sending location information. 
     
     
       7. The gateway of  claim 1 , wherein the at least a part of the registration information includes a cell ID parameter. 
     
     
       8. A method comprising:
 receiving from a mobile node a registration request including registration information at a call session control function (CSCF) residing in an access gateway, which serves as an access point to a multimedia domain (MMD) system in a network, wherein the access gateway is in communication with a plurality of access networks including a wireless access network and at least one of a wireless local area network (WLAN) and a femtocell network; 
 generating location information of the mobile node using at least a portion of the registration information and an Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to the mobile node, wherein the location information includes a physical location of the mobile node and the IP address is assigned to the mobile node by the access gateway; 
 caching the registration information and the generated location information in an entry in a local cache created for the mobile node when the mobile node was registered, the local cache residing in the access gateway; 
 receiving from the mobile node a location-based services request including identifying information, wherein the identifying information includes an identifier of the mobile node; 
 if the location-based services request does not include current location information of the mobile node,
 retrieving the generated location information of the mobile node from the local cache using the identifier of the mobile node included in the identifying information; and 
 routing the location-based services request using the generated location information to a network device that can provide the requested location-based services. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the network device includes an application server. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the application server resides within a same visited network where the CSCF that received the registration request from the mobile node resides. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising providing the location based services to the mobile node. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the mobile node includes a mobile node that is not capable of sending location information. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the location based services include locating at least one nearest service. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the at least a portion of the registration information includes a cell ID parameter. 
     
     
       15. Logic encoded in one or more tangible media that includes code for execution and when executed by a processor is operable to perform operations comprising:
 receiving from a mobile node a registration request including registration information at a call session control function (CSCF) residing in an access gateway, which serves as an access point to a multimedia domain (MMD) system in a network, wherein the access gateway is in communication with a plurality of access networks including a wireless access network and at least one of a wireless local area network (WLAN) and a femtocell network; 
 generating location information of the mobile node using at least a portion of the registration information and an Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to the mobile node, wherein the location information includes a physical location of the mobile node and the IP address is assigned to the mobile node by the access gateway; 
 caching the registration information and the generated location information in an entry in a local cache created for the mobile node when the mobile node was registered, the local cache residing in the access gateway; 
 receiving from the mobile node a location-based services request including identifying information, wherein the identifying information includes an identifier of the mobile node; 
 if the location-based services request does not include current location information of the mobile node,
 retrieving the generated location information of the mobile node from the local cache using the identifier of the mobile node included in the identifying information; and 
 routing the location-based services request using the generated location information to a network device that can provide the requested location-based services. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The operations of  claim 15 , wherein the network device includes an application server. 
     
     
       17. The operations of  claim 15 , further comprising providing the location based services to the mobile node. 
     
     
       18. The operations of  claim 15 , wherein the location based services include locating at least one nearest service. 
     
     
       19. The operations of  claim 15 , wherein the mobile node includes a mobile node that is not capable of sending location information. 
     
     
       20. The operations of  claim 15 , wherein the at least a portion of the registration information includes a cell ID parameter.